


Thinking in the Fifth Dimension

by Irving-Braxiatel (Elycia7)



Category: Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Gen, post Enemy Lines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-25 00:23:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 3,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9794198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elycia7/pseuds/Irving-Braxiatel
Summary: This is a sort of choose-your-own-adventure style fic. At the end of this chapter you will be given the choice of following either of the characters through the story. At the end of each chapter following this you will be told where to go next to keep following themThe recommended reading order is following Braxiatel first, then Narvin, Romana, and finally Leela. But if you want to read it in a different order you can do that as well





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sort of choose-your-own-adventure style fic. At the end of this chapter you will be given the choice of following either of the characters through the story. At the end of each chapter following this you will be told where to go next to keep following them 
> 
> The recommended reading order is following Braxiatel first, then Narvin, Romana, and finally Leela. But if you want to read it in a different order you can do that as well

“You know,” Narvin started, “We do have agents that could take care of situations like these.” 

“None that I trust not to mess it up,” Romana pointed out. “And either way, I needed to get off world. It’s been a while since I had a chance to stretch my legs.”

“There is not much room to stretch them in,” Braxiatel pointed out, looking around the room they had a appeared in. 

“Ah,” he said. 

“Is that…” Narvin started. 

“Yes, I believe it is,” Romana agreed. 

“An axis portal,” Narvin said disbelievingly. 

“It cannot be. Can it?” Leela asked. 

“Possibly,” Narvin said. “They could have reopened after we closed them all off. Not even the CIA understands axis technology fully.”

“If it were an axis portal, it would have moved. And it has been in that exact spot since we arrived,” Braxiatel pointed out. 

“I don’t think we should enter it,” Romana said. “Let’s instead find out what is happening here to cause so much time distortion” she stepped across the room to open the door, and frowned. “There is no control panel.”

Narvin fished his portable comms device out of his pocket. “There’s no signal! but that’s impossible.!

“Without a signal we can’t get in contact with the battle TARDIS in orbit, and we can’t get them to teleport us out of here,” Romana said.

“So we are trapped in here. Could it be a prison cell?” Leela suggested. 

“Perhaps,” Braxiatel said. “But if this is indeed a holding cell, why have they left an exit for us to escape through?” 

“Surely you aren’t suggesting we go through the portal;” Narvin said. 

“I don’t see what other options we have,” Braxiatel huffed.

“He is right,” Romana granted reluctantly.  “Either we wait for someone to notice we are missing and come looking for us, which could be days, weeks even,, or we go through the portal.”

“And what if it’s a trap?” Narvin asked.

“If it is, I would rather walk into it willingly now than be forced into it later. it’s not as if we would be able to escape capture either way if any potential assailants get impatient and simply come through the portal for us.”

“As you wish, Coordinator,” Narvin sighed. 

“I will go first,” Leela proclaimed.  
She stepped through the portal, and the others followed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Narvin  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Leela  
> Follow Romana: Go to Narvin  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Memories


	2. Narvin

Narvin pointed at the hovering metal cube that was in the place the axis portal had been, and then proceeded to stumble towards it. It moved towards him, and upon collision Narvin’s body spasmed. 

Romana scrambled to her feet. 

“Narvin!” She said. “But he’s…”

“Dead, yes,” Braxiatel said. 

Leela sat down next to him, looking for a pulse. Anything. 

“You can’t save him,” Braxiatel told her. “Just as I couldn’t save you.”

“What?” Leela demanded. “But I am not dead.”

“Not yet, no.” 

“Narvin is dead and now you are saying that I will die too?” Leela asked. 

“I’m afraid so. I’m sorry, Leela.”

“You had better start explaining yourself, Braxiatel,” Romana ordered. 

“I will,” Braxiatel. “But I don’t have much time. I don’t know when the next shift will happen. So I need to make it brief. do you remember the time distortion we observed when we were back on gallifrey? We are living it. Somehow linear time is happening to all four of us in different orders. As far as I can tell Leela experiences time forwards. perhaps because she is human, or maybe because she entered the portal first. The seems to be no pattern for the rest of us.”

“And how exactly do you know all this?” Romana asked. 

“Yourself and Leela told me. Or, you will, from your perspective.” 

“But I only know because you told me.” Leela protested. “How will I find out so I can tell you?”

“You won’t have to. I told you now so you can tell me later. And Narvin, too.”

“Narvin?”  Leela asked. “So he will come back?”

“Not yet, from your perspective. or, from mine,” Braxiatel told them. “I was getting to that. We can only survive ten time shifts before whatever is doing this to us kills us.”

“I understand. We need to stop this thing killing us, before it can kill Narvin again.” 

Braxiatel did not reply to this.

Romana met his eyes. “Braxiatel, what are you not telling us?” 

“Nothing,” he assured her. “I was rather hoping you would have something to tell me. Tell me, did either if you look at the sphere before it killed Narvin?” 

“I was busy watching my deputy, and my friend, getting electrocuted,” Romana snapped. 

“It moved. Not just to kill him, he moved it.”

“What does that matter? It still killed him.” Leela said. 

“I’m not sure yet,” Braxiatel said. “You told me to look for it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to the Plot  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Silence  
> Follow Romana: Go to Silence  
> Follow Narvin: The story ends here. Return to intro


	3. Leela

The cuboid which had appeared in place of axis portal the lurched at Leela. A moment too late she reached for her knife. The cuboid reached her and the moment it touched her skin electricity pulsed through her body. Before she could even scream she fell to the floor, dead.

“I was too late,” Narvin said.

Romana was sitting not far away on the floor and scrambled over to hold Leela in her arms. “Leela not you too,” she begged, taking Leela’s hand.

Braxiatel kneeled down next to Romana, taking Leela’s other hand. “There’s no pulse.” He looked at the others. “Perhaps we can still save her…”

“No,” Romana said. “That’s not how this works.”

“She’s right,” Narvin said.

“You two know what’s happening?” Braxiatel asked.

“You explained it to me,” Romana said. “But not yet. It will make sense in time.”

“You will do so in the future. It has already happened for both of us.” Narvin said. The dimmed lights were starting to get brighter. “And... I’m sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: The story ends here. Return to Intro  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Explanations  
> Follow Romana: Go to the Plot  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Solutions


	4. Braxiatel

As soon as the light that separated each of their jumps faded, the sphere began to hover towards Braxiatel. 

“Narvin,”  he said. “Narvin I need to tell you-” 

Before he could finish the sentence the sphere had reached him, and electricity pulsed through his body and all he could do was scream.

“Braxiatel!” Leela said, catching him as he fell.

Braxiatel was trying to form words, but could not seem to do so. 

Both Narvin and Romana crouched down next to him, and Braxiatel placed a shaking hand on Narvin’s. 

Narvin’s eyes widened, as Braxiatel showed him what he knew. What he had seen. 

“What did he tell you? Is is about the plan?” Romana, taking Braxiatel’s other hand. There was clearly no saving him, but if he showed her too she could work it out. Instead Braxiatel looked at her, then back to Narvin.

“Yes,” Narvin said. “And I know what to do.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to 7  
> Follow Braxiatel: The story ends here. Return to Intro  
> Follow Romana: Go to Memories  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Leela


	5. Romana

The cube approached Romana. 

“No, not yet,” she said, stepping away from it. “The plan, Brax. What’s the plan?”   


“I don’t-” Romana reached the wall, and before Braxiatel could try to intervene the cuboid touched her. 

She screamed as electricity poured into her body, then after a moment that was much too long, the cuboid returned to it’s position and she collapsed. 

Braxiatel rushed to her side.

“The plan,” Romana rasped. “What’s the plan, Brax?” 

“I-” he stammered. He realised. All this time, they had been so focused on finding each other, but neither of them had actually worked out any form of strategy to get them out of here. 

Romana realised this too. “No… Brax you have a plan, don’t you?” she sounded more desperate than before. 

Braxiatel had nothing to say. There was no saving her, he knew that from bitter experience. He took off his jacket and put it under her head

“We need to...” Romana said. but she was getting tired. and she couldn’t focus. 

“Save your strength,” Braxiatel urged. “Maybe if you live until the next jump you will get out of here. We don’t know.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Romana huffed. 

“We don’t know that,” Braxiatel pointed out. 

“Braxiatel, you need to get at least one of us out of here,” Romana said. “To warn Gallifrey not to come here again. Whatever that thing is it mustn’t escape.” 

Braxiatel took her hand. He could feel her pulses slowing down with each beat. 

“Braxiatel promise me,” Romana snapped. The world was fading around her. 

“I promise,” he said. 

“Good,” Romana said. She exhaled, and her grip on Braxiatel’s hand loosened.   
He reached up, closing her eyes, as the lights got brighter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Braxiatel: Go to the Plan  
> Follow Romana: The story ends here. Return to Intro


	6. The Plot

Romana stood up from where she was kneeling on the floor, turning and looking at Leela. 

“Leela,” she breathed, relieved. “It’s good to see you.”

“I was dead,” Leela realised immediately upon seeing how Romana was looking at her.

“Well, yes,” Romana admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“As am I,” Leela said. 

“You may not need to be,” a new voice spoke up.

“Narvin!” Leela said, as they both turned to face him. 

“I take it Leela’s isn’t the only recent death. splendid.”

“Quick, we may not have long,” Romana said. “Tell us what you meant by ‘that may not be needed’. Do you know something we don’t?”

“There is a plan. Or so I hear. Braxiatel told me. You and he are working on it together from what I understand.”

“So that’s what he meant… But we aren’t working on it yet. I don’t even know where we are,” Romana said. “The room looks identical to the one we were in before. The only difference is the portal has been replaced by... whatever that is.”

“It is where the portal was before,” Leela said. “It is not time travel technology?” 

“If it is, it’s unlike any I have ever seen before,” Narvin said. “But since it is the only thing that changed about this room, I think it’s safe to say this is what is responsible for our deaths, don’t you agree?”

“Oh,” Romana said. “That’s what he meant.”

“Who?”   


“Braxiatel.” 

“When he said it moved,” Leela realised. 

“When I die?” Narvin guessed. 

“I told him to look for it,” Romana said. “Will tell him to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to The Plan  
> Follow Romana: Go to Explanations  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Silence


	7. 7

“Braxiatel!” Leela said.

“Leela. I am glad you are safe,” he told her. “And you, Romana.” 

Romana looked at him. “The plan, Brax. Tell me. We don’t have much time.” 

“What do you mean? Look if you are implying this had anything to do with  _ me  _ then…”

“You don’t know?” Romana asked dejected. “How many times have you jumped?” 

“This is my third. And you?”

“My ninth,” she said. “But don’t worry. There is a plan. You and I come up with it. We will get out of here. You will be there next time, and you will know what the plan is.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Solutions  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Memories  
> Follow Romana: Go to Romana


	8. The Plan

Braxiatel was sitting on the floor, staring at something that wasn’t there.

“Braxiatel?” Leela asked. since last she had seen him he had lost his jacket. 

His head snapped up. “I’m running out of time.” 

“How many times have you jumped?” Narvin, recalling what leela had told him just minutes ago. 

“Too many,” Braxiatel told them. “But I am working on a plan. For Romana. We will get out of here, and none of us will die.” 

“Narvin told us, yes,” Leela told him. 

“I did?”

“Not yet.”

“So. Is there a plan?” Narvin asked.

“Not yet,” Braxiatel said. “But I will have. Before I die.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Explanations  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Solutions  
> Follow Narvin: Go to The Plot


	9. Explanations

“But that’s… Leela?” Braxiatel asked. 

“You have seen me die?” Leela asked. 

“Well. Yes.” 

“This is the second time you mention someone dying. I’m liking this less and less,” Narvin asked. 

“You mean you haven’t seen a death yet?” Romana asked. “I’d have thought we would have all seen one by now… Though I suppose ‘now’ is relative for all of us.”

“You know something?” Braxiatel asked. 

“You don’t?” Leela asked. “But you told us.”

“But not yet,” Romana realised. “From his perspective, anyhow.”

“I would like some form of explanation as well,” Narvin said. 

“We are experiencing some form of time distortion,” Romana said. 

“All of us are seeing things in different orders,” Leela added. 

“Yes, exactly. We each experience 10 different episodes and then…” 

“Then what?” Narvin asked. 

“Then we die,” Leela finished. 

“Cheerful,” Braxiatel said. “And I’m guessing you only know all this because I told you?” 

“I’m afraid so,” Romana said. “The information came from nowhere. Or from a future which none of us have experienced yet. Either way, we have no way of knowing if it’s actually true or not.”

“But we do know one thing,” Leela pointed out. “We are being hunted and killed.”

“We need to get out of here,” Narvin said. 

“I think we all agree on that,” Romana replied. “I do know one thing. I’m sorry to mention this in front of you Narvin but… Braxiatel you have to watch the cuboid when it kills him. I don’t know why yet, but I think it’s important.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Time  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to 7  
> Follow Romana: Go to Braxiatel  
> Follow Narvin: Go to the Plan


	10. Time

“What happened?” Narvin gasped. 

“You do not know yet?” Leela asked. 

“You haven’t told me yet,” he said. “There was a bright light, then Braxiatel disappeared and you moved over there.”

“Brax isn’t here?” Romana asked. “Oh.”

“You have not spoken to him about the plan yet?” Leela asked her. 

“Not yet,” Romana said darkly. “But I still have time.”

“That is good to hear,” Leela said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Braxiatel  
> Follow Romana: Go to 7  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Explanations


	11. Solutions

“I’m beginning to get tired of this,” Narvin said. 

“Likewise,” Braxiatel agreed. “But I think I have worked out how to stop it.”

“I know. You tell me.”

“But I… This is my ninth shift, Narvin. I couldn’t have told you, I would remember. Unless…Ah”

“It was a good death,” Leelas assures him. 

But Braxiatel wasn’t convinced. “Romana’s wasn’t quick either.”

“Romana is dead?” Leela asked. 

“She asked me to make sure at least one of us gets out of here, to warn the rest of Gallifrey to stop this thing, whatever it is. I need to keep that promise.”

“I know how,” Narvin said. “But I can’t explain. take my hand, and I will show you, Leela.”

“Why me?” she asked.

“Because,” he said. “Both braxiatel and I will die next time we jump. And without our deaths you won’t be able to stop it. All of this is linked.” He took her hand, and showed her what Braxiatel had showed him. 

“But then I will need to…”

“Yes,” Narvin said. “Let’s hope it kills you as quickly as it kills Braxiatel, shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Memories  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Braxiatel  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Narvin


	12. Memories

Romana stood from her position on the floor. 

“What happened?” Braxiatel asked. 

She looked at him, smiled, made a face, and then shook her head. “What do you think?”

“Ah,” he said. “I think I would rather not hear about it.”

“Your sacrifice will not be forgotten,” Leela promised him. “Nor will yours, Romana.”

“Their sacrifice?” Narvin asked. “Somehow I don’t like the sound of that.”

“We will explain later, Narvin,” Romana said. She turned to Leela again. “I died?”

“I wasn’t there. But I have been given memories of it. And now I know what to do.” 

“Who exactly gave you these memories?” Narvin asked. 

“You did, Narvin.” 

“And now I have to, because you told me.”

“But. I was not the one who told you to. Braxiatel was.”

“Then, perhaps, time  _ is _ changing,” Romana suggested. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Rewind  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Narvin  
> Follow Romana: Go to Time  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Time


	13. Silence

“Narvin,” Romana said, relieved. 

He studied her and shivered. “I think i would rather not hear about what you just saw.”

“Probably not,” Braxiatel agreed. he turned. “Romana please tell me you didn’t just come from Narvin’s death.” 

“What part of ‘I would rather not hear about it’ did you not understand?” Narvin asked.

“I’m sorry but this is important. for the plan,” Braxiatel said. 

“I did,” Romana said. “For what plan?” 

“I’m not sure yet. I was hoping you would know by now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Romana  
> Follow Romana: Go to Leela  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Braxiatel


	14. Rewind

The cuboid which had appeared in place of the axis portal lurched at Leela. But before it could reach her she had drawn her knife, and jumped it.  Her blade dug into it, whatever it was, and before it could electrocute her as it had the others, she let go of the knife’s handle. 

“What is that thing?” Braxiatel asked.

“Nevermind that, we have to help her before it kills her,” Romana said.

“It’s actually working,” Narvin laughed.

“Quick,” Leela said, evading the cuboid as it hovered towards her. Being stabbed had, apparently, made it disoriented. “I cannot stab it again or it will kill me. one of you must do it.”

“Your knife is made of stone,” Romana realised. “Only some of the electricity will chrage through it. And it may be able to kill you-”

“-But as Time Lords we can handle a higher dose of voltage,” Braxiatel finished.

Romana stepped between Leela and the hovering dark shape. She pulled the knife out of it, tears of pain running down her cheeks as she resisted the impulse to let go of the blade, and stabbed it again.

She let go of the blade, her hand burned and blistered.

“I’m okay,” she assured the others. “Quick, before it goes after Leela again.”

Braxiatel, who was standing next to Romana, closed his hand around the blade. He groaned, before quickly pulling it out and stabbing the creature again. This time it began to fall towards the ground, taking Braxiatel with it. The impact of hitting the ground knocked the knife out of his scorched hands.

The cuboid shifted and changed shape. as it did so it changed to a dark grey colour, which made it possible to make out it’s shape.

“It is an animal?” Leela asked, as she noticed fur on the now rounded creature. It rolled on the ground to try to get up. “Then it can truly be slain.”

“I think it’s my turn next,” Narvin said. Now that he could at least make out parts of the creature he could aim for its head. He took the knife, and the creature struggled, but its efforts were in vain. before it could make a final attempt at killing Leela, Narvin had pierced its skull with her knife.

The creature emitted a shrill and high pitched noise, which got lower and lower. Its fur turned completely dark again before fading through charcoal, graphite, light grey, before finally turning white. As it did so, its movement slowed, but didn’t stop as such. It was still mid-motion when it went still, locked in the moment of its death forever.

“I think I killed it,” Narvin said, falling back. He saw that the room had changed back into what it was before they had entered the axis portal.

Leela laughed. “We did it!”

Braxiatel sat up. “What was that thing?”

“I would like to know that as well. How did you know how to kill it?” Romana asked.

“It was a group effort,” Narvin said. “You just don’t remember it.”

“It killed us too, didn’t it?” Romana asked.

“Yes,” Leela said. “But it was your own plan that brought you back.”

“I still don’t understand what is happening,” Braxiatel pointed out.

“I could explain it now,” Narvin started. “But I would rather work on a way to get back to Gallifrey and make sure this place is sealed off forever. Don’t you agree?”

“From what little I saw of this place, I think I do,” Romana said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! Thank you so much for reading. 
> 
> This fic was inspired by a webseries called Relativity (link here: https://youtu.be/wAbR9IguBKU ) and I highly recommend watching this as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow Leela: Go to Narvin  
> Follow Braxiatel: Go to Leela  
> Follow Romana: Go to Narvin  
> Follow Narvin: Go to Memories


End file.
